Somalia (Siad Barre)
Somalia led by Mohamed Siad Barre is a custom civilization by TopHatPaladin, with contributions from Urdnot_Scott, Lime, and Ekmek. This mod requires Brave New World. It replaces the City-State of Mogadishu with Aden. Overview 'Somalia' (Excerpted from the full Somalia civilopedia) On 1 July 1960, the two portions of Somaliland unified to form the independent Somali Republic. This government, a presidential republic, lasted for nine years before its second president - Abdirashid Ali Shermarke - was assassinated in the city of Las Anod. Within a week of his death, the Somali Army executed a bloodless takeover of the country, and General Mohamed Siad Barre became President. A proponent of scientific socialism, Siad Barre initiated successful literacy and public works programs, but his tenure was plagued by human rights abuses that worsened after the unsuccessful Ogaden War in 1977-78. As pressure mounted from various resistance groups, the Siad Barre government collapsed in early 1991, causing Somalia to descend completely into civil war. In the mid-1990s, the United Nations intervened to bring humanitarian aid and seek peace terms. These efforts were only partially successful: Somalia increasingly split between Mohamed Farrah Aidid and Ali Mahdi Muhammad, two leaders of the United Somali Congress. This situation did not prove stable, either; a Transitional National Government, established in 2000, failed to stop the fighting, and the Islamic Courts Union also became a major (if short-lived) player in the war in 2006. The Somali Civil War continues to rage today. The north governs itself as the internationally unrecognized breakaway state of Somaliland; the northeast similarly proclaims itself to be the autonomous state of Puntland. The current Somali government controls mostly central and southern Somalia, but it is also under attack by Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group that formed during the collapse of the Islamic Courts Union. Siad Barre Jaalle Mohamed Siad Barre was a soldier and politician who served as the President of Somalia from 1969 to 1991. He was born in 1919, near Shilavo in modern-day Ethiopia, as a member of the Marehan clan (a subclan of the Darod). He began his military service in 1935, when he claimed to have been born in Garbahare in order to be eligible to join the Italian Zaptié forces; he fought in the Italian conquest of Ethiopia, and later joined the military forces of British Somaliland, where he rose to the rank of Major General. Because of this military experience, Siad Barre was selected as Vice Chairman of the Somali Army after the nation attained its independence in 1960. After the assassination of President Abdirashid Shermarke, Siad Barre was one of the foremost members of the Supreme Revolutionary Council that executed the 1969 military coup. Siad Barre himself assumed the title of President, and began developing Somalia as a Marxist-Leninist state, views he had acquired from training alongside Soviet officers in the 1960s. He nationalized industry in Somalia, established cooperative farms and factories, and began several significant public works projects; he also sought to improve literacy, an effort bolstered by the introduction of a standardized Latin writing system for the Somali language. This effort was also part of Siad Barre's greater campaign to wipe out clanism: the clan system was central to Somali culture, which Siad Barre saw as destructive to national unity. One of the most significant events of Siad Barre's tenure was the 1977-78 Ogaden War, in which Somalia invaded the Ethiopian region of Ogaden. The Ogaden region was largely populated by Somalis, making it part of the "Greater Somalia" area that Siad Barre sought to control, and forming his casus belli. Backed by Soviet forces, Somalia achieved significant victories in the early part of the war, but after the Soviets pulled their aid, Ethiopia reversed the gains and the Ogaden War ended in Somali defeat. This begun a long downward spiral for the Siad Barre regime. Throughout the 1980s, dissatisfaction mounted against the government, and rebellions began breaking out - many covertly aided by the Ethiopians. In response, Siad Barre became increasingly paranoid and ramped up his human rights abuses, committing various acts of ethnic cleansing against opposing clans (particularly the Isaaq). The resistance against Siad Barre came to a head in January 1991, as a group of militias overthrew his government. Siad Barre fled to Kenya after the breakout of the civil war, but after the Kenyan populace protested against his presence, he moved again to Nigeria. He remained in Nigeria for several years before dying of a heart attack in 1995. 'Dawn of Man' "Greetings, General Siad Barre! Victorious leader, you were one of the most prominent figures in the Somali military since the state first gained its independence, and so when President Shermarke was assassinated, you were the natural choice to take over his office. As President of Somalia, you began a program of scientific socialism, revitalizing the economy with nationalized industry and cooperative farms; you also spread literacy, with a standardized Latin script that could be used by all Somalis. Militarily, your tenure was less decisive - although the Ogaden War was a great success in its early months, the betrayal of the Soviets prevented you from attaining your victory. This would have a long-reaching ripple effect that colored the rest of your reign, but you would continue to fight for your people and your clan. General, the time has come for you to once again seize the helm of Somalia, and wrest it from both external colonizers and those who would oppress your clan. Can you restore the strong hand that you used to push Somalia forward? Can you build a civilization that will stand the test of time?" Introduction: "Greetings! I am Mohamed Siad Barre, the man who brought freedom and prosperity to the Somali peoples." Defeat: "If I must leave Somalia, I will leave buildings but not people." Unique Attributes Music Mod Support 'Additional Achievements' 'Unique Cultural Influence' “Our people are now chewing your khat and wearing your macawis. I worry that the rest of the world will also succumb to the influence of your culture.” Full Credits List *''TopHatPaladin'': Design, Code, Art, Text *''TranquilSilence'': Design *''Urdnot_Scott'': Map *''Lime'': Icons (Duub Cas, Gabyaga) *''Ekmek'': Duub Cas Model *''Aamina Camaari'': Peace Theme *''Henry Jackman'': War Theme Category:All Civilizations Category:TopHatPaladin Category:Islamic Cultures Category:Civilizations with Male leaders Category:Civilizations with two unique units (Civ5) Category:Somalia